Page 4 of Forbidden Knots

"I'm sorry if I was harsh," she said. "I like you now, and I don't want you to be like you used to be."

I chuckled, "Come here,Sophie Bear," I said, using the nickname I called her when we were younger. She started crying, remembering the simpler times when I was just a boy who didn’t think much about the world.

Wrapping my arms around her, she leaned against my chest and whispered, "I will try to find a friend."

I smiled. "You do that," I chuckled, then took her hand and added, "And if you can't find one, you know I’ll always be here."

"Aww," she said, then grabbed a pillow from the bed and playfully hit me across the face, making my eyes twitch from the impact.

She smiled, walking towards the door. "You are already my best friend."

For the first time, I felt like we were moving toward normalcy, something better for both of us. As she slammed the door behind her, shouting, "Going to the beach," I lay down on the bed, looking through the window, trying to see if the girl across the street was still there. But she was gone.

They warned me this place was haunted, but I didn’t know that someone I’d seen for only a few seconds would haunt me instead.

I closed my eyes, trying to imagine how she smelled, how she looked, but all I could see was a shadow, the sun blocking my view. I wanted to touch her and feel how soft her skin was. I knew I shouldn’t become obsessed with this ghost from across the street. But I had to distract myself with something, otherwise myowndarkness wouldconsume me.

Then my phone started to buzz, and when I opened my eyes, I saw my ex’s name flash on the screen. I answered only because there had been ten missed calls before this one, and I wanted to end it for good.

"Amber, stop calling me," I shouted. "I’ve told you millions of times, it’s over."

"I miss you," she sobbed. "Please come back."

"We. Are. Over." I said, gritting my teeth and pushing my hair from my face. "Stop calling."

"Please," she whispered, her voice breaking. "Please, Tristan. I miss you." She begged.

"Amber, it's over," I shouted, and just before I was about to hang up, her voice changed to the one I used to know, the one that always sent chills down my spine. "You will fucking pay."

She hung up, and in my frustration, I slammed my phone against the bed frame, cracking the screen.

"Fuck."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm brewing inside me. My gaze drifted back to the window, where the girl had been. My thoughts returned to her, the mystery of her presence lingering like a haunting melody. I needed to know more about her, needed a distraction from the chaos Amber always brought.

THREE

Storm

It was one of those moments of realization when I felt something burning inside me, only to realize it was just my skin under this unbearably sunny day at the beach. The temperature outside was nearly thirty-five degrees, and when I closed my eyes, all I could see were a few dark spots from staring too long into the sun.

I'm one of those people who go to the beach solely to get a tan, not to enjoy the sea or get refreshed. The truth is, I've always been afraid of deep water, and living surrounded by the sea hasn't exactly played in my favor.

I used to jump in and have fun, but now it's all about appearances and who might see me in the same spot. I'm that dark cloud walking down rays of sunshine, hiding light just because I want shade. Then I would turn into a storm, creating lightning, disappearing into thin air just so others would stay away.

But the shadow didn't. It followed me wherever I went, and I stayed above, creating shade for that shadow because, for once in my life, I felt worth it.

"Hey," a voice whispered above me, casting a shadow over my face. "Would you mind if I put my towel next to yours?"

It was an oddly interesting girl, with brown curly hair tied up in a messy bun, eyes darker than my thoughts, and a pale face dotted with freckles. She wore a pink bucket hat and orange crocs, each hole adorned with daisies. Her black swimsuit clashed against her vibrant outfit, making her look like a character from a cartoon. She wore so many colors that it hurt my eyes more than the sun.

I nodded as she extended her hand, which was trembling slightly. "Sophie."

I nodded again as she placed her towel beside mine. "Thalia," I said.

"I'm new in town," she chuckled, applying sunscreen with a factor of fifty-plus to her pale body. I chuckled too as I slathered myself in my grandmother's old olive oil, eager to fry my skin even more for a better tan.

"Same," I said, offering her a gentle smile.

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